(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel alkaline proteases, particularly novel alkaline proteases which have excellent stability and contribute to improving washing ability when blended in general detergents, novel microorganisms which belong to the genus Bacillus and have an ability of producing the above proteases, a process for the preparation of the above alkaline proteases which is characterized by cultivating the above microorganisms and recovering the alkaline proteases from the culture, and detergents comprising at least one of the above alkaline proteases.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Recently, attempts have been made to increase the washing ability of detergents, particularly of heavy duty liquid detergents, by making the pH of concentrated detergents more alkaline and blending in various hydrolytic enzymes such as proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases. Among these enzymes, proteolytic enzyme, particularly alkaline protease, decomposes protein stains which are difficult to wash out only by a detergent, and contributes to improving washing ability. To this end, it is essential to add such an enzyme to a detergent.
Generally, alkaline protease which is produced by Bacillus licheniformis, such as those available under the trade name Alcalase (hereinafter referred to as Enzyme A), Novo Industri A/S, and the trade name Maxatase, Gist Brocades N.V., are often used. These enzymes have an optimal pH for activity of from 10 to 11, and therefore it is expected that they will exhibit their performance under a higher alkaline pH condition and contribute to the improvement of washing ability. However these enzymes immediately lose their activity in a high pH (i.e. 10 to 11) solution of a detergent, and therefore are difficult to stably blend in a heavy duty liquid detergent.
Accordingly, many attempts have been made to stabilize the activity of the enzymes in a heavy duty liquid detergent by, for example, the use of a particular anionic surfactant such as .alpha.-olefin sulfonate (Japanese Patent Publication No. (examined) 30646/1973), combination of a nitrogen compound with a lower carboxylic acid salt (Japanese Patent Publication No. (unexamined) 3733/1972), combination of free calcium ion with a polyacid for suitably chelating the calcium ion (Japanese Patent Publication No. (unexamined) 128904/1977), addition of a specific alkoxyalkylamine (Japanese Patent Publication No. (unexamined) 16012/1978), addition of a specific boric acid compound (Japanese Patent Publications Nos. (unexamined) 57209/1978 and 56204/1978), and combination of an antioxidant with a polyol (Japanese Patent Publication No. (unexamined) 27378/1980).
However, the above mentioned additives cannot sufficiently bring out the washing ability of the enzymes, though they can give to some extent a stabilization effect of the enzyme activity. Further, when a builder is blended, the enzyme activity is deteriorated and when stored at a temperature of 40.degree. C. or more, the additives can no longer easily produce a sufficient stabilizing effect on the enzyme, and further they may harm the physicochemical stability (color, viscosity, smell, precipitate, etc.) of the heavy duty liquid detergent, and therefore further improvement is required from the practical point of view.
Another alkaline protease which is relatively stable in a high pH solution of a detergent and available under the trade name Esperase, Novo Industri A/S is also known but it cannot give sufficient washing ability even when it is used in a large amount.
Further, alkaline proteases produced by such microorganisms as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus alcalophilus, Streptomyces, Aspergillus, Arthrobacter and Fusarium are also known. These proteases also have a problem in stability and washing ability as mentioned above, and therefore cannot be utilized.
Under these circumstances, it has been very difficult to further improve the washing ability of heavy duty liquid detergents.